The legal battle over the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title will return to the spotlight on October 8, when the Court of Arbitration for Sport hears Senegal’s appeal against the decision that overturned their victory over Morocco.
CAS confirmed on Wednesday, September 30, that the hearing will begin at 9:30am at its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
With representatives of both the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) and Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) attending in person.
CAF will be represented by its lawyers, while proceedings will be conducted in French and held behind closed doors after none of the parties requested a public hearing.
The case will be heard by a 3-member panel chaired by French arbitrator Prof Gérald Simon, alongside Italy’s Prof Luigi Fumagalli and Germany’s Prof Dr Ulrich Haas.
CAS says the hearing is expected to run into the afternoon, after which the panel will begin deliberations. No ruling will be delivered on October 8, and the court has not indicated when its final decision will be announced.
The hearing represents the latest chapter in a dispute stretching back to the extraordinary AFCON final between hosts Morocco and Senegal at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on January 18, 2026.
Although officially branded AFCON Morocco 2025, the tournament ran from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026.
Senegal won the final 1-0 after extra time through Pape Gueye’s 94th-minute goal, but the match was overshadowed by extraordinary scenes towards the end of normal time.
With the score still 0-0, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty following a VAR review of El Hadji Malick Diouf’s challenge on Brahim Diaz.
Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw instructed his players to leave the field in protest, leading to a delay of about 14 minutes before Sadio Mane helped persuade his teammates to return.
Diaz subsequently attempted a Panenka from the penalty spot, which goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved, before Gueye struck early in extra time to secure Senegal’s second AFCON triumph on the field.
The controversy did not end with the trophy presentation, on January 28, CAF’s Disciplinary Board sanctioned both federations and several players and officials over incidents surrounding the final.
Thiaw received a 5-match suspension and a $100,000 fine, while Senegal were fined a combined $615,000 for the conduct of supporters, players and technical staff, as well as accumulating 5 cautions.
Morocco were also sanctioned. Achraf Hakimi received a 2-match suspension, with 1 match suspended for a year, while Ismaël Saibari was initially suspended for 3 matches and fined $100,000.
The FRMF was fined $200,000 over the conduct of stadium ball boys, another $100,000 over interference around the VAR review area and $15,000 over the use of lasers by supporters.
Crucially, however, the Disciplinary Board rejected Morocco’s protest seeking to have Senegal punished under Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations over the temporary walk-off.
At that point, Senegal’s 1-0 victory remained intact, Morocco appealed that part of the ruling and secured a dramatic reversal on March 17.
The CAF Appeal Board set aside the Disciplinary Board decision and ruled that Senegal’s conduct fell within Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations.
It declared Senegal to have forfeited the final and officially recorded the result as a 3-0 victory for Morocco.
The Appeal Board also reconsidered some sanctions against Morocco, reducing Saibari’s suspension to 2 matches, 1 of them suspended, and removing his $100,000 fine.
Morocco’s fine over the ball boys was reduced to $50,000 and the laser-related sanction to $10,000, while the $100,000 fine relating to interference around the VAR review area was upheld.
Senegal subsequently took the title dispute outside CAF, on March 25, CAS formally registered the FSF appeal against both CAF and the FRMF, 8 days after the Appeal Board decision.
Senegal asked CAS to set aside CAF’s March 17 ruling and declare the FSF winners of AFCON 2025.
CAS said at the time that the March 17 decision had initially been issued only in operative form, prompting Senegal to request suspension of the deadline for submitting its full appeal brief until the reasoned decision was provided.
On July 24, CAS announced that the appeal would be heard on October 8, setting the stage for another decisive phase in a dispute that has continued for more than 8 months since the final.
Wednesday’s operational update now establishes how that hearing will proceed and who will determine the case.
Whatever the eventual decision, CAS will effectively determine whether the 1-0 result Senegal secured on the field in Rabat stands for the purposes of the AFCON title, or whether CAF’s subsequent 3-0 forfeiture ruling in Morocco’s favour remains in force.